Are we, as some might say, motivated by a desire to save our off-spring?
Yes we are motivated by hope that one day another off-spring will do the same for us. It is not selflessness but the hope and thought that one day, when the opportunity arises, that they will save us.
Must there always be some sort of intrinsic reward for doing good?
In reality there must not always be an actual reward, but there is always either a delayed or subconscious reward such as a feeling of goodness or superiority.
Mr. Otis once said, "That having integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching." If this is so, and no one knows when we have done good, would you still do good?
Honestly, if no one was there to watch me, I would probably not do the right thing unless it was in my best interest, or I was going to do it already.
"Delayed reciprocal altruism", seems like a gamble - back to game theory, any way. Does this seem to make sense to you. That is that we act out of a desire to have what we have done being done to us?
Yes I completely understand and stand by this theory. I will sometimes do an act of selflessness if I feel that they will do the same for me later. For example if I buy my friend a lunch, it is not because I am jsut being nice, I expect to be paid back later.
Are we ever being truly "selfless" when committing an act of altruism?
No one is truly selfless when we commit an act of altruism. We always act for a cause or another reason whether it be personal or not. It could be for subconscious reasons, for self gratification, or even delayed reciprocal altruism, but it can never be out of true selflessness.
- Are we, as some might say, motivated by a desire to save our off-spring?
Yes we are motivated by hope that one day another off-spring will do the same for us. It is not selflessness but the hope and thought that one day, when the opportunity arises, that they will save us.- Must there always be some sort of intrinsic reward for doing good?
In reality there must not always be an actual reward, but there is always either a delayed or subconscious reward such as a feeling of goodness or superiority.- Mr. Otis once said, "That having integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching." If this is so, and no one knows when we have done good, would you still do good?
Honestly, if no one was there to watch me, I would probably not do the right thing unless it was in my best interest, or I was going to do it already.- "Delayed reciprocal altruism", seems like a gamble - back to game theory, any way. Does this seem to make sense to you. That is that we act out of a desire to have what we have done being done to us?
Yes I completely understand and stand by this theory. I will sometimes do an act of selflessness if I feel that they will do the same for me later. For example if I buy my friend a lunch, it is not because I am jsut being nice, I expect to be paid back later.- Are we ever being truly "selfless" when committing an act of altruism?
No one is truly selfless when we commit an act of altruism. We always act for a cause or another reason whether it be personal or not. It could be for subconscious reasons, for self gratification, or even delayed reciprocal altruism, but it can never be out of true selflessness.